Wellow, Chew and Bristol Frome all within three days...but it has not been easy!

On both Saturday and Sunday I managed to get out at some point. On Saturday PM I fished the River Chew at Compton Dando. In the first half hour I had netted three fish - two small Brownies and an average sized Grayling for the Chew. After that 2 hours of searching likely runs without success. All fish came to the nymph and I did not see one rise. The level was high but colour clearing. It was a hot sunny day. Went to a nearby lake with the hope that the Carp were on the feed. Unfortunately I think the previous weeks run off and now hot sunny conditions had sparked an algal bloom. Casting any line resulted in a green blob at the hook end!

Sunday evening fished the Bristol Frome. Despite fairly clear water and warm weather exceptionally quiet with just the odd rise. Managed to tempt one clonking Brownie of about 1.5lb in a very shallow run just below a big riffle as I speculatively searched the river for a take. I watched it come up just a yard or two away to take the Klink despite it not showing before. I love it when that happens such a surprise and to think your fly can induce a rise when naturals might pass by. I came away thinking that the Chew and the Bristol Frome need to settle a bit before fishing improves - I almost wondered whether the resident fish had got washed downstream!

Nature day on the Mendips

Family trip to the Mendips. We took in Velvet Bottom and Stockhill. Glorious summer day with light winds and blue sky. The butterflies were out in force - Marbled White, Small Heath, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and Green Fritillary were abundant. Managed to net some Common Lizards and a Sloworm for the lads to have a close encounter with - I think we were a bit late for the Adders. Some nice meadow flowers for us to identify - Common Spotted Orchid and Harebell. 

Green Fritillary

Common Spotted Orchid

Harebell

  

Common Lizard

Sloworm

And finally the rivers return to some normality - Wellow Friday fish

The sun was shining after nearly a months break as the rivers were almost unfishable on the fly. Fished the Wellow from about mid afternoon onwards. Lost count of the number of wild Brownies with most coming to an Olive dubbed Klink dry fly. At a couple of the deeper pools where there was no surface activity I twitched a heavy nymph through the deeper elements and hooked a couple of good fish. The Wellow seems to have a fairly consistent size of fish with most around 8"-10". Many have striking contrasting marks with creamy underbellies and heavily marked backs. Red and I fished two sections although the upper section has less pools and with still high water it was not easy to fish. Unfortunately stumbled across a mink at one point.